Lemon Chicken Soup bursting with pillows of cheesy tortellini, tender chicken, and vegetables kissed with bright, refreshing lemon juice all made in ONE POT.
This Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe is quick and easy, comforting and hearty yet light and fresh at the same time!
Because its spring!
I am somewhat obsessed with tortellini from my Creamy Tortellini Toscana and Caesar Chicken Tortellini to my Cheesy Tortellini Al Forno and Southwest Tortellini Salad. So this Lemon Chick Soup with Tortellini post has an obsessive amount of photos. Sorry. I need help.
After using tortellini in my Creamy White Bean and Ham Tortellini Soup and then again in place of regular noodles in my Chicken Tortellini Soup my life was changed forever. Spoonful after spoonful of tender noodle exterior giving way to cheesy interior. AKA soft melty cheese in every bite. I was sold. I would use those cheesy morsels in place of regular pasta in every-single pasta dish if the rest of the world was obsessed like me. But for now, we’ll start tortellini global domination with this glorious Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe.
This 30 Minute, One Pot Lemon Chicken Soup is packed with cheesy tortellini in every spoonful swaddled by warm, seasoning filled broth and tender, shredded chicken. I used chicken thighs in this lemon chicken soup recipe because I was just recently turned on to their rich, moist, flavor and now I think they are perfect for everything (how had I been so closed minded for so long?!). But you can definitely use chicken breasts if you prefer – but I encourage chicken thighs!
After searing the chicken for a couple minutes per side to seal in the juices, you add the chicken back to the soup while simmering to fully cook in the broth and get drunk on the oregano, thyme, parsley, cumin and red pepper.
The lemon chicken soup recipe is also bursting with carrots, corn, onion, spinach and mushrooms in a broth splashed with bright lemon juice that enhances and alivens every savory slurp. And slurp you will.
Every.
Last.
Drop.
30 Minute One Pot Lemon Chicken Tortellini Soup. To satisfy your tortellini obsession. Or to create one.
Looking for more TOne Pot Soups
- Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- White Chicken Lasagna Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Chicken Fajita and Rice Soup
- Loaded Zuppa Toscana
- Cheesy Taco Soup
- Miso Soup with Chicken, Veggies, Shiitake Mushrooms
- Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
- Italian Vegetable Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
Want to try this One Pot Lemon Chicken Tortellini Soup?
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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings | -8 |
- 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp EACH dried parsley, salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme, dried oregano, ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp EACH pepper, red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 9 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 15.25 oz. can sweet corn, rinsed and drained
- 12 oz. UNCOOKED fresh cheese tortellini
- 4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus more to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
- lemon zest (optional)
Ingredients
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- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot oven over medium high heat.
- Add chicken and sear on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter/oil to the now empty pot and heat over medium high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes. Add carrots and cook until tender – about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds.
- Add remaining spices, corn, chicken stock and chicken back to the pan.
- Bring to a boil; cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer 10 minutes, remove chicken and let rest 2 minutes then shred.
- Meanwhile, bring soup back to a boil. Add tortellini and boil 1-2 minutes or until tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in spinach, lemon juice and chicken.
- Taste and add additional lemon, salt, pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest (optional)
- TO MAKE IN THE SLOW COOKER
- Sear chicken as instructed above and add uncut chicken to the bottom of a slow cooker, followed by all of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the tortellini, spinach, lemon juice and Parmesan. Cover and cook on low heat 6 - 7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- When ready to serve, remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add tortellini to the slow cooker (turn to high heat if on low). After 10 minutes, shred chicken and add back to slow cooker along with spinach and lemon juice. Tortellini should be about cooked by this time, approximately 15 minutes total. When tortellini is completely cooked and spinach wilted, taste and add additional lemon, salt, pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest (optional)
*You may substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts but make sure to pound them THIN. Adjust simmering time accordingly.
**For a less "chunky" soup, simply add more chicken stock at the end of cooking.
***I like the 5 Cheese Tortellini from Costco (Kirkland Brand)
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You might also like:
White Bean and Ham Tortellini Soup
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Soup
Connie says
I love tortellini too, and this soup really sounds so good! I’d love to have a bowl right now. Saving this recipe for a rainy day…in other words, tomorrow (April showers is a real thing in Boston!)
Jen says
I wish I could bring you a bowl! Soup really is perfect for a rainy day -it somehow makes rain have a purpose 🙂 Thanks Connie, hope you love it!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
I am a BIG fan of lemon in chicken soup. It’s to ally a Greek thing! Love the idea of adding tortellini!
Jen says
Thanks Sophia! I didn’t realize lemon soup was a Greek thing – love your style 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
The cool Autumn weather here in Australia is basically demanding hearty soups like this. So thanks for sharing the recipe, it’s idea for me to make.. and I never have made a tortellini soup either!
Jen says
You are so welcome! I think you will love the addition of tortellini – I’m excited for you to try it!
Marla Meridith says
This soup looks amazing!!!
Jen says
Thank you so much Marla, I hope you love it, it is one of my favorites!
Dani says
Hello! I’m making this tonight, but I was wondering…the package of chicken thighs I’ve thawed out & the package of tortellini I bought are larger (almost double) what the recipe calls for. Do you think it’ll result in a super chunky soup, or should I make some adjustments?
Thank you!!
Jen says
Hi Dani, You will definitely want to add some extra broth and will need to cook the chicken longer. You might want to add 1/2 more of all the rest of the seasonings/ingredients. Hope this helps!
Dani says
Jen,
Go ahead and give yourself a big fat high five. This soup is DELICIOUS. I made the stovetop version, omitted the mushrooms bc they are not for me, and wow wow wow. I cannot say enough about it. So much flavor, so much awesome. Bravo! Thanks for adding ANOTHER fabulous dish to our family’s dinner table.
Jen says
Thank you Dani for such an awesome comment/compliment! I am thrilled you loved it so much and found it so flavorful! I love hearing you and your family are enjoying my recipes- thank you!!!
Katie says
I just made this recipe and it was excellent! It took me longer than 30 minutes (I’m a compulsive recipe checker) but it was really easy. The chicken thighs shredded so easily. I can see myself making this recipe often.
Jen says
Awesome Katie, thank you so much!
Gail Souders says
Hi Jen, this soup looks so delicious! Wondering if any leftovers, can the soup be frozen? Thanks Much!!!
Jen says
Thanks Gail! Tortellini once cooked in a soup doesn’t freeze super well in my opinion – the texture gets funny. You can separate the pasta from the soup though and just freeze the broth. I hope that helps!